The Dislaimer: Do. Not. Own. Naruto. The song "Taste of Ink" and its lyrics belong to The Used. Love You.
The Summary: Hinata's sister gets ready to take her place as Hyuuga heir. Hinata's freedom suddenly is in jeopardy. Naruto is dating Sakura. Neji advises her to run away. Three years later, she returns. She is 19 and somewhat changed. The Hyuuga clan might find itself in the midst of a civil war. Romance, Angst, Drama, etc. Naruto/Hinata one-sided. Hints of Neji/Hinata but will solely be based on how you interpret their relationship. Will be a Kiba/Hinata story… simply because there aren't enough of them out there... blah. Enjoy! Oh note: My first language is Spanish, I'm fluent enough in English, I don't know crap about Japanese. So help in this area will be appretiated. Rating: T-ish, later for the loving.
The Taste of Ink
Scroll One
Chapter One: Is it worth it can you even hear me (Prologue)
Hyuuga Hinata. A sudden pang hit the pit of the young nin's stomach. Her rare, white opal eyes widened as Hanabi's gentle fist technique sent a burst of chakra through Hinata's system. That was the end. Her chakra flow had been stopped. Taijutsu was not the Hyuuga way. Unable to use Byakugan effectively, Hinata relaxed her arms, letting them hang at her sides. She fought every urge in her body to wrap her arms around her stomach and double over in pain.
Hanabi stood straight. Her eleven-year-old frame standing tall her forehead directly level to Hinata's lips. The two Hyuuga sisters looked at each other. Sweat beads ran freely down their foreheads. They were both breathing hard and out of breath. Hanabi deactivated her Byakugan.
"Good fight, Hinata nee-chan!" Hanabi smiled, finally wiping her forehead with her bare arm. A few strands of dark brown hair plastered themselves around her face and cheeks. Hinata smiled and reached over to brush the brunette strands behind her sister's small ear.
"H-Hai." Hinata smiled as she took back her hand and wiped her own brow with the sleeve of her signature cream-colored jacket. Hinata had long sinced cut her hair short again. Her own indigo bangs were flattened against her fair skin with sweat.
"Hanabi, get cleaned and changed for dinner," Hiashi's cold, deep voice called to his youngest daughter. The two young Hyuuga's turned their heads to face their clan leader and father. Hiashi towered over the two girls and looked down at them as he approached them. Their father's eyes softened as his hand gently reached for Hanabi's small shoulder.
"You did well daughter." Hanabi smiled prettily at her father acknowledging the compliment. Hinata's eyes lowered and her pointer fingers met at her lips. A small well of hope began to stir in her chest.
Will he acknowledge me today? Her small voice echoed in Hinata's head. At sixteen, she wasn't much changed. Still the quiet and shy nin she was at thirteen. Same akward habits. Same doe-eyes. Still no better than Hanabi. Knowing all this, Hinata was brave enough to keep hope that one day her father might show pride in his eldest daughter.
"Hinata," His deep voice vibrated within her. This is it! Hinata's stomach clenched. She forced her hands to her sides. With a small gulp, Hinata raised her sweat-glistened face at her father. She wanted to smile, but she fought it. "Still weak, as expected."
And that was it. The leader of the Hyuuga clan walked away from the two young girls and headed into the Hyuuga mansion. Hanabi ran after her father, only turning to give Hinata a wave as she kicked off her nin sandals and enetered the large estate.
A single tear welled at her left eye. It slowly ventured from her lower eyelid onto flushed cheek. Of course. What had she expected, a hug? Praise? Love? Hinata was as weak as ever. Even Naruto-kun couldn't save her now. She failed. I-I'm s-sorry, Naruto-k-kun! Hinata turned on her heel and took off out of the Hyuuga property. She was heading for the training grounds. Hell damn her, but she was going to get strong no matter what the cost! As she rounded the corner of the street, she noticed she was a second away from running into someone. Shifting her weight to her heel, dhe turned her body to avoid the incoming person. But another person had been walking behind the initial person, Hinata grinded her teeth as she readied herself for the impact. However, a hand had managed to grab her wrist and she was forced to come to a stop. She looked back and her pearl-colored eyes met pools of cream.
"Neji-nii-kun!" A squeek escaped her lips, surprised to see her cousin. Neji had been away on a mission with Kiba to escort a wealthy merchant to the hidden village of Stone. It wasn't a hard mission, but it was a far one and she hadn't expected him back for another day or two.
"Arrf!" Hinata looked down only to see a large Akamaru huffing and slobering at her knees. He was looking at her excited to see her. Hinata's lips broke into a smile as she offered the dog her free hand to sniff. Hinata looked back to see a slightly stunned Kiba standing with his hands in his pockets, and red tatooed cheeks stained with a blush.
"Gomen, Kiba-kun." Hinata acknowldged him softly as a hint of pink crept to the skin of her cheeks.
"Hinata. Wow, you look a mess!" Kiba greeted his teamate. Hinata blinked and smiled akwardly.
"Hai, I-I was t-training." Damn her stutter, Hinata hissed to herself.
"With Hanabi?" Neji's voice reached Hinata's ears and her face slightly lowered itself.
"H-Hai," Hinata whispered. The stain of tears on Hinata's cheek did not escape Neji's sight. He could only imagine what Hiashi had said to his Hinata this time. With a sigh, Neji released Hinata's wrist.
"We were just headed to get some ramen, Hinata. Why don't you come? Its on Neji!" Kiba winked at the blue-haired girl and smirked at Neji. Folding one hand cooly behind his head and the other placed around Hinata's shoulders. Kiba began leading her toward the ramen stand not waiting for her response. Neji let the two younger ninja walk ahead of them. He follwed them with Akamaru trudging along side, waging his tail wildly.
Hiashi Hyuuga was a cold man, but had shone a rare moment of warmth to Neji the day he lost to Naruto during the Chunin Exam. Neji had not expected it, much less asked for it. In fact, he had harbored hate for the Hyuuga leader. Hinata on the other hand had always worked hard to earn some form of warmth from her father. In the last sixteen years, she yet had to see or feel that side of Hiashi Hyuuga. Neji looked back at the enormous Hyuuga House. The house that had so long ago caged him and sacrficed his father, all in the name of the Hyuuga clan. Hanabi was becoming everyday increasingly like Hiashi. If Hiashi was not careful, he might become disapointed the same way he had disapointed Hinata.
Neji turned back only to see that Kiba was already at the other end of the street. Letting out an annnoyed grunt, Neji took off running after his cousin and the abnoxious Inuzuka nin.
A/N: That's just a prologue… First Naruto Fanfic, by the way. Go ahead flame, criticize, praise, dance? If you feel that you just have to correct something, go ahead and submit it in a review.